BY: JOSE ROBERT INVENTOR
A man was fatally stabbed after a heated confrontation in Solsona, Ilocos Norte, on the afternoon of May 4.
Authorities identified the victim as 51-year-old Romeo Mater, who was stabbed in the chest and abdomen.
The suspect, 35-year-old Oscar Pumaras, allegedly threw rocks at Mater’s home, triggering the altercation.
“The suspect reportedly went to the victim’s house and began throwing stones,” said PMaj. Chris Anthony Sorsano, chief of the Solsona Municipal Police Station. “The victim came out with a knife and chased the suspect. They ended up in a rice field, where the stabbing occurred.”
Initial investigation suggests the conflict may have stemmed from a long-standing dispute involving irrigation and land between Mater and the suspect’s sibling.
“There was an old argument between the victim and the suspect’s brother—something to do with farm irrigation,” PMaj. Sorsano added.
Police recovered a 12-inch knife at the crime scene. Mater was rushed to a medical facility but later died from his injuries.
The suspect is now in police custody and will face charges of homicide.
